- Collection:
- Southeastern Native American Documents, 1730-1842
- Title:
- Order, 1797 Mar. 19, Tennessee to the sherriff [sic] of Hawkins County, [Tennessee] / John Sevier of an image
- Creator:
- Tennessee. Governor (1796-1801 : Sevier)
- Publisher:
- Manuscript held by the Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, Governor Sevier, box 1, folder 3, document tl038.
- Date of Original:
- 1797-03-19
- Subject:
- Cherokee Indians--Government relations
Cherokee Indians--Violence against - Location:
- United States, Kentucky, 38.20042, -84.87762
United States, Tennessee, Hawkins County, 36.44117, -82.94468 - Medium:
- executive orders
- Type:
- Text
- Format:
- text/html
image/jpeg - Description:
- This is an order issued by John Sevier, Governor of Tennessee (1796-1801, 1803-1809) to the sheriff of Hawkins County. Sevier states that he has been informed by the Governor of Kentucky of the murders of two Cherokees committed by Edward Mitchel(l) and John Levingston (also Levinston), both citizens of the state of Tennessee and inhabitants of Hawkins County. In compliance with the demand of Governor Garrard of Kentucky, Sevier commands the sheriff to apprehend the murderers and have them taken to the public jail of Kentucky. He also orders that all civil and military officers aid the sheriff in the capture and transport of the men. This document was signed and sealed on March 19th, 1797.
Digital image and encoded transcription of an original manuscript, scanned, transcribed and encoded by the University of Tennessee, Knoxville Libraries in 2001, as part of GALILEO, funded in part by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. - Local Identifier:
- gs038
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs038
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs038#item
- IIIF manifest:
- https://dlg.usg.edu/record/dlg_zlna_gs038/presentation/manifest.json
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [title of item], Governor Sevier, Tennessee State Library and Archives, Nashville, TN, presented in the Digital Library of Georgia
- Extent:
- 4 pages/leaves
- Holding Institution:
- Tennessee State Library and Archives
- Rights:
-
Page: [1]
State of Tennessee To the Sherriff [Sheriff] of Hawkins County
Sir
I am just [added text: now ] informed by an express from the Governor of the state of Kentucky, that a Most Cruel daring and unprovoked murder was perpetrated by Edward mitchel and John Levingston, Citizens of this State And inhabitants of Hawkins county, on two indians [Indians] of the Cherokee Nation (one of the name of red Bird) who was hunting in the state of Kentucky, On the waters of Kentucky river.
The perpetration of [deleted text: so ] [added text: Such [deleted text: a ] ] horrid and unwarranted [deleted text: An ] [added text: an ] Act is contrary to the treaties existing between The united States and the indian [Indian] tribes, as also All laws human and divine, and Such aggressions Ought to meet examplary [exemplary] and adequate punishment [deleted text: According ] [added text: Suitable ] to the demerit of [deleted text: the ] [added text: their ] Crimes, agreably [agreeably] to the laws
Page: [2]
they have, so flagrantly and wantonly violated.
In conformity to the demand made by his Excellency the Governor of the State of Kentucky, and Agreably [Agreeably] to an act of Congress in such Cases made and provided: I do hereby command you, to take the Aforesaid Edward Mitchel and John Levingston, or either of them if to be found in your County, and them or either of them Safely and Securely to convey Unto the public Jail of Kentucky, then and there, them or either of them, you are to deliver unto the keeper thereof.
In order that you may be the better enabled to apprehend, take, and convey the said Edward mitchel and John Levingston, or either of them as aforesaid, you are hereby impowered [empowered] to apply to, and call upon, Any officer or officers, either Civil or Military Within this State, to furnish you with Such gaurd [guard] or Gaurds [Guards],
Page: [3]
as may be adequate and necessary for the purpose of taking, and Safely conveying them, to the public Jail of Kentucky as aforesaid. I also command And enjoin that all officers [deleted text: both ] Civil and military, [deleted text: to ] be aiding and assisting in having the aforesaid Edward Mitchell and John Levingston apprehended And taken in order [added text: that ] they may be dealt with as the law in such Cases may direct.
Given under my hand and seal in Knoxville this
19th day of March 1797
Signed By the Governor
[Signed] John Sevier
Page: [4]
Order
Sheriff Hawkins county
19th March 1797
Recorded